Demetrius Hardison practices classical guitar at Gardner Betts Juvenile Detention Center.
The corrido occupies a special place in the musical lives of many Mexican Americans. The songs frequently tell the stories of a people in the grips of trying times but often delivered with a contrasting upbeat tempo. Even in these sometimes woeful songs there is a constant lyrical quality of hope, resilience and perseverance.
The corrido is a ballad that traditionally features historical or topical information with the mentioning of a specific place, date and cast of characters.
Yet the corrido is flexible enough to be reborn with new generations claiming the genre as its own and then adding to the history with new songs about their own discoveries, injustices and ironies.